Marketing

Keep Sharing Your Message (and don’t ignore your marketing!)

Do you ever think to yourself,

“I’ve got GREAT stuff. Great teaching, great wisdom, great change for my people. If only I was more visible.”

Friend. I get it.

My process for writing a book… WORKS. It takes authors who have desire but have struggled and shows the path to writing a book. (Not a formula book – a REAL book, that you’re proud of.)

And my process for MARKETING a book!?

Watch out. It’s amazing. It works. It can light your people on fire.

And yet…

Sometimes I feel like I’m wearing all black, hiding in the dark.

You too?

It’s so easy to decide that your marketing efforts don’t work. To stop sending your newsletter, to stop talking to your list entirely.

It takes effort to do videos, offer calls, to network.

It’s so easy to slip into the darkness. To hope that somebody—the perfect somebody—stumbles upon you and buys your book, your services, your vision.

It’s so easy to slip into the darkness. To hope that somebody stumbles upon you and buys your book. Let's turn on the light. Click To Tweet

Keep Reading!

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Kim’s Top 5 Tips for Book Marketing

For most of the year, I’m talking about writing your book. But for the next few weeks, until May 31, I get to focus on publishing and marketing your book – leading up to an invite for you to join me at “Your Bestseller – LIVE! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status” happening virtually June 9-11, 2020.

During our 3 (virtual) days together, you will learn:

  • Exactly what it takes to have a best-selling book and how it will open doors to media, speaking, and more clients.
  • The steps to uncover your powerful message so you can move your readers – and change their lives.
  • How to cash in on the momentum and excitement created by your bestseller launch so you can fill your events or programs with ease.
  • How to use your book to be seen as a marketplace expert – and leverage that into opportunities you never thought were possible.
  • Why it’s never too early to think about your marketing – even before the book is written – and how to leverage that plan into your writing.
  • The differences between a best-selling book launch and any other type of online launch.

Reserve Your Seat.

So let me give you my top five book marketing tips. (Hint: #5 is going to be that you need to come to the event.)

1. Cultivate Your People

It isn’t enough to ONLY talk to your tribe (email or social media) when you’re launching. That says:

I only want you when I want your money!

You’ve got to cultivate that relationship YEAR ROUND, week in and week out. If you’ve watched me at all, you’ll know that EVERY Tuesday I post an article and send out an email. Every.Single.Tuesday. (And I have for the last eight years!)

It isn’t enough to ONLY use your list when you’re launching. That says: I only want your money! You’ve got to cultivate a relationship YEAR ROUND, week in & week out. Click To Tweet

Not to brag (much) but this way that we stay in contact is critical. It allows me to be top of mind, and top of your inbox.

Where I don’t do a great job is on social media. While I might post on Facebook a few times a week, I’m not always intentional ENOUGH about talking to my people. Reminding them how I can help them and offering more value.

We’re going to talk about how to do this – without making yourself crazy – at “Your Bestseller – LIVE! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status”. Register Here.

2. An “Older” Book CAN be a Bestseller

So you published your book and you’re getting lackluster sales. Or no sales at all.

That doesn’t mean you should throw in the towel! Or write it off.

For my client, Holly Doherty, we took a book that was already published, “The Self-Worth Solution for Smart Entrepreneurs: Know Your Self-Worth, Grow Your Net Worth” and did a launch that created a bestseller AND sparked additional, long-term sales.

The thing to remember is that books are a long-term way to share your message. A book launch, as powerful as it is, is a moment in time. Your book has staying power!

One of my books regularly hits the bestseller in its genre every summer (it’s a book of campfire stories) and then slips down the charts the rest of the year. Regardless, that title alone brings me thousands of dollars every year – and shares my message.

At “Your Bestseller – LIVE! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status”, we’ll be going deep into how you can make sure that your book IS positioned for long-term sales.

Keep Reading!

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Marketing Your Book to Bestseller Doesn’t Have to Be So Hard!

Let me lay it out for you:

You’re making the marketing of your book too complicated.

You’re making it too hard.

And you’re dreams (and readers) are suffering!

I don’t {necessarily} mean your book’s topic or the writing process – although it’s been my experience that most people make that too complicated too.

Nope. I’m talking about the Idea of a Bestselling Book.

Having a bestseller feels like a pipe dream. Like you have to have a Big Reach, Hundreds of Sales, and a Massive PR Campaign to make it all work. (And that ALL of those things, yes, have capital letters!)

My darling author, you’re getting all wrapped up with the peripherals and you’re forgetting the three things that really matter:

1. Your Message

The message you want to share in your bestselling book is the guiding light, the golden thread, it’s the REASON you’re writing at all.

I believe, deep in my heart, that your message matters to the world. That your message is the reason you’re here – and the reason you’re meant to help someone. It’s the foundation of your book and your work in the world.

And you’ve been trying to make your message fancy. And have it down pat – like an elevator speech.

Give it over, already!

Your Message Matters. (Full stop.)

It matters in a heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul connection. It matters in a you’ve-had-a-bad-day, let-me-hold-your-hand way.

Your message matters. Don't let it be missing from your book! #amwriting #bestsellingbook Click To Tweet

You aren’t being judged on the words you use but on your clarity of heart. Show your heart, use words that are honest and real.

2. Your Marketing

Gasp! I said… marketing.

Breathe.

Again.

It’s not a complicated Super Bowl commercial.

Marketing is the way you’ll share your message – which is the vehicle for your book.

Marketing is:

  • Being authentic.
  • Being clean and clear.
  • Being attractive.

Marketing is sharing YOU and YOUR MESSAGE in a way that excites other people.

Stop stressing about Facebook ads, click through rates, and Instagram stats. You’re missing the POINT of marketing.

Marketing is sharing YOU and YOUR MESSAGE in a way that excites other people. Learn how to market your book. Click To Tweet

The point is to be a lighthouse in the dark, calling attention to your message.

3. Your Movement

We all want to create movement in the world – to be the spark that starts the fire. And suddenly… we’re wondering if our matches are wet.

ENOUGH!

This is where you’re REALLY overcomplicating your bestselling book! Because your movement is taking people from readers to DOERS. If you’re in business, it means moving them into your client roster.

Yes, it’s about the potential to bring in new clients and earn some money.

But more than that, it’s about bringing the Big Change to the people that you’re here to help. It’s taking your message beyond “just” a book and creating a tidal wave of movement and momentum that can change lives.

Your book CAN change lives. Are you ready to unleash it on the world? Click To Tweet

I want to break this down and teach it to you, message, marketing, and movement, in an easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement way. It starts when you join me at “Your Bestseller – LIVE! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status” happening June 9-11, 2020 during a VIRTUAL EVENT.

During our 3 (virtual) days together, you will learn:

  • Exactly what it takes to have a best-selling book and how it will open doors to media, speaking, and more clients.
  • The steps to uncover your powerful message so you can move your readers – and change their lives.
  • How to cash in on the momentum and excitement created by your bestseller launch so you can fill your events or programs with ease.
  • How to use your book to be seen as a marketplace expert – and leverage that into opportunities you never thought were possible.
  • Why it’s never too early to think about your marketing – even before the book is written – and how to leverage that plan into your writing.
  • The differences between a best-selling book launch and any other type of online launch.

You will leave this virtual event transformed. Because you are uniquely gifted with a powerful message that will impact countless lives and change countless hearts. So let’s get this this show on the road. Register today! Even though this is a virtual event, I’m limiting registration to just 50 authors.

Reserve Your Seat.

Do You Need to Add a Bonus to Your Book?

As an online entrepreneur, I love launching things to my people. I love the free trainings I get to offer, the emails I send to spread the word, and I love designing my paid offerings – including the “sweetener” of a bonus.

You know…

That little extra that makes you REALLY feel like you’re getting a huge bang for your buck.

And in the online space, we’re taught that you Must.Have.A.Bonus.

The same thing doesn’t hold true for your book, though. That “extra” that you’re offering as a bonus with your book can backfire in a big, big way.

I client asked my opinion on adding additional content into her book: additional chapters with resources, tips, and a “plan” to follow.

I suggested against it.

In her industry (health coaching) it’s common to add several bonuses to the main offer. After all, when you buy a program for $997 and ALSO receive $2,000 worth of related bonuses, you really feel like you got a lot of bang for your buck, right? The thought is that you’ll come for the meat of the topic (main offering) but stay for the potatoes, salad, and dessert (bonuses).

But that doesn’t translate from the online sale of information to the sale of books through Amazon. In the book publishing world, this “add in a ton of ‘value’ with bonuses” approach often backfires.

Your reader purchased your book for a very specific reason; they were looking for a very specific solution. Offering them more than what they came for usually doesn’t scream “BONUS INFO! This author really knows her stuff!”

It says:

“This author couldn’t figure out how to stay on topic!”

I’ve seen it in a lot of self-published titles, both in fiction and non-fiction. Here are some examples:

Fiction Example:
I buy a Kindle version of a novel. Upon “finishing” the book, the progress bar that tells me how much of the book you have left to read is reporting 20%. That last 20% of the book are excerpts from the author’s other novels.

Now, at first glance, that seems like good marketing, right? I just finished this novel, presumably liked it since I got to the end, and I get a taste of more stories. But think about the math: I paid $4.00 for the book. But 20% of the “book” wasn’t a book. It was just advertisements placed there by the author.

I really spent $3.00 for the book and gave the author $1.00 for the PRIVILEGE of selling to me. (I think I’m a bit annoyed!)

Keep Reading!

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What’s the Next Step for Your Book?

This is for you if your book is:

  • Almost finished (at least 85%)
  • Finished but not edited
  • Edited but not published
  • Published but not selling
  • Selling but not as much as you want

While in most instances, sales, marketing, and launching freak people out, when it comes to a book, all authors can think about is holding that book in their hands – and telling the world about it.

So much so that I often have Discovery Session calls with authors to talk about publishing, only to discover… the book isn’t written yet! For some reason, the idea of promoting your book sounds oh-so-fun. And authors just can’t WAIT to dive into the nitty gritty of cover design, titles, and how they’ll market the book.

Marketing Your Book IS Important

There are lots of “how to write a book” experts out there who will say it’s NEVER too early to think about marketing your book.

I disagree.

Because while I think your writing mentor should have eyes on your future marketing – so that your book doesn’t give away the farm, leave your readers with a false sense of closure, or end up feeling like a really big sales letter – you, as the author, have more important things to think about while you’re writing.

Keep Reading!

It’s December – Time to Update Your Author Bio

If you’re like so many of us (me!), it was a chore the first time you wrote it. And the idea of gasp UPDATING it sounds even more onerous.

Get over it, friend!

Here are the trigger events that mean you need to update your author bio:

1.) You’ve released a new book.
New book = double check and update your bio. You’ll want to change how many books you’ve written and make sure that everything else is still current.

2.) You got a speaking gig

I was JUST on a podcast this morning – and listening to the host read my bio pointed out those places that are unclear and need to be updated. For example: it said I have 20 books that I’ve written (true) AND I’ll be releasing a new book later this month. Time to update!

3.) Major life change.
Your bio PROBABLY includes things like the general area where you live, who your family is, and what your hobbies are. So if your family changes (getting married OR divorced; welcoming a new kid or pet, etc.) it’s time to refresh your bio. Same goes if you’ve moved or picked up an interesting new hobby.

Keep Reading!

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3 Key Takeaways from the Maribel Jimenez Book Launch

Last week I did a book launch for, “The Superwoman Entrepreneur: How to Turn Your Breakdowns into Breakthroughs to Live a Life of Peace, Play, & Prosperity” by Maribel Jimenez.

When the book debuted on September 11, 2019, it started at #446. During the course of the book launch, Maribel and the other co-authors shared wisdom from the book. I have to tell you though…

It looked like we weren’t going to make it. The book was selling (because people were telling us they were buying copies) but it wasn’t a meteoric rise up the charts. And this isn’t a $0.99 Kindle eBook either – it retails for $19.99!

Then, by 6 am the morning of September 12, 2019, it was sitting at #5 in “New Releases in Women in Business.” Get the book here.

This wasn’t a magic spell and it’s not a fluke. It was the result of concentrated effort and a solid plan.

I wanted to bring you the three key takeaways from the launching process:

1. How to climb the bestseller ranks
Is the most amount of books sold in the least amount of time. As you can watch on the livestream, we didn’t really start pushing the book until well beyond the half-way point. When you’re launching, it’s important to tell people WHY they need to buy.

2. Don’t bother with a $0.99 Kindle eBook
The LAST thing you want to do is tell your precious reader that their pain and hope is worth a buck. Not to mention how a $0.99 launch grossly undervalues YOUR efforts, skills, and message. Maribel’s book is retailing at $19.99. That means that when people buy it, they’re investing in themselves AND the message. So when it arrives – they’ll read it!

3. Keep the faith!
We didn’t hit the top 100 while we were on the livestream. That’s a bummer – and I wasn’t too happy. But I know that the real power of books isn’t in the moment of launch; it’s in the long-term support it bring readers. As the book gains a following and continues to rise in popularity (including as people review it!) the message will continue to spread.

If you want to know all the ins and outs of what it takes to make it on the bestseller list—with a real book at a real price point—then join me for “Your Bestseller – Live! Market Your Message to Bestseller Status” September 19-21, 2019.

Register Here for Virtual Event.

What the event isn’t:

  • This isn’t a “Bestseller Factory” that uses sketchy techniques to hype a $0.99 eBook to “bestseller.”
  • It’s not about producing a formula book that is heavy on fluff and empty of real message.
  • It isn’t how to create a book as a sales page or a “big business card” – those don’t work and certainly don’t share your message!

Here’s to your message and to YOUR bestselling book!

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